Importing existing data into Rental Desk

Importing and Exporting with Rental Desk

IMPORTING

RentalDesk can import your key inventory and address book details from a CSV (comma separated values) text file. You may have this information already stored in other databases or spreadsheets and it is normally quite easy to get this information out into CSV format. Once you have this information in CSV format you can open the file with a spreadsheet editor like Microsoft Excel and get it ready for importing into RentalDesk. This means copying the data to our CSV files (download fromftp://ftp.navigator.co.uk/pub/RentalDesk_NX/Import_Sheets.zip and observing the following rules:

Equipment Import file

Do not delete or modify the first row of field names

Enter the correct data type for each field, do not exceed the maximum text lengths, and always fill in mandatory fields. The table below lists the specification

FIELD NAME

MEANING (Notes)

TYPE /

LENGTH

REQUIRED

MasterCategory

General class, e.g. Sound

Text, Max 50

Yes

Category

Sub class, e.g. Microphones

Text, Max 50

Yes

Type

Stock item, e.g. Shure SM57

Text, Max 50

Yes

Sales

For rent or for sale

True or False

Yes

Daily_Rate1

Main daily charge

Number

Daily_Rate2

Alternative daily charge

Number

Hourly_Rate1

Main Hourly Charge

Number

Hourly_Rate2

Alternative Hourly Charge

Number

Value

For replacement / insurance

Number

Weight

Number

Length

Number

Width

Number

Height

Number

Country_Of_Origin

Only the code is expected, e.g. UK

Text, Max 5

Nominal_Code

For your accounts package

Text, Max 20

Nominal_Description

A description of the above

Text, Max 40

Stocklevel

How many you own of the Type

Number

Stockcode

Internal number/code you may use

Text, Max 20

Barcode

For barcoded items only

Text, Max 24

Serial No

For barcoded items only

Text, Max 40

Purchase_Date

For barcoded items only

Date

Purchase_Price

For barcoded items only

Number

PriceScheme

Either 1, 2 or 3, corresponding to what you have already set up in RD

Number

Categories cannot be repeated in different Master Categories

Types cannot be repeated in different Categories

Barcodes must be unique

You CANNOT assign a Serial No without a barcode. Use a unique "dummy" number if necessary

Every row must have a MasterCat, Category and Type and Sales type filled in.

The Stocklevel on each row should be the actual stocklevel for each Type, i.e. do not enter 1,1,1 etc for each row with a unique barcode

PriceSchemes will be either 1, 2 or 3, corresponding to what you have already set up in RD

Address Import file

Do not delete or modify the first row of field names

Enter the correct data type for each field, do not exceed the maximum text lengths, and always fill in mandatory fields. The table below lists the specification

FIELD NAME

MEANING (Notes)

TYPE /

LENGTH

REQUIRED

Name

Text, Max 50

Yes

Supplier

True or False

Yes

Customer

True or False

Yes

VAT Number

For rent or for sale

Text, Max 30

Supplier_Acc_Ref

Main daily charge

Text, Max 30

Customer _Acc_Ref

Alternative daily charge

Text, Max 30

AddressLine1

For replacement / insurance

Text, Max 50

AddressLine2

Text, Max 50

AddressLine3

Text, Max 50

Town

Text, Max 50

County (State)

Text, Max 25

Post (zip) Code

Only the code is expected, e.g. UK

Text, Max 25

Country

For your accounts package

Text, Max 25

Telephone

A description of the above

Text, Max 25

Fax

How many you own of the Type

Text, Max 25

Mobile

Internal number/code you may use

Text, Max 25

Email

For barcoded items only

Text, Max 70

Web

For barcoded items only

Text, Max 70

Contact

For barcoded items only

Text, Max 35

Just like with Barcode entries in Equipment CSV file, repeat an entire row for each Contact you will to associated with a Company.

In the zip file of the import sheets you will find and example of how an Equipment and Address CSV files should be filled in.

Doing the Import

Importing and Exporting facilities are run from the Configuration Book and

there is an entry for each of them. When the main form loads you will see that you can choose between Equipment and Addresses. You then simply “browse” for the CSV file you will have created.

IMPORTANT : You will note that there is the option to change the default “Field Delimiter and Field Protector”. You will only need to adjust these in exceptional circumstances, such in the unlikely event that your spreadsheet programme cannot save to CSV format. A Field Delimiter is a character that separates each data field in the import file. In a CSV file this is a Comma, you can tell Rental Desk to use another one such as a Tab. A Field Protector is a character that prevents a field which may in itself contain a Field Delimiter from being interpreted as two or more fields. For example Mic, Shure SM57 if wrapped in speech marks, “Mic, Shure SM57” is still one field.

Once you have set your import file click the Validate button in the Action Pane to force the programme to check that the data it contains is correct. Any errors are written to a log memo in the Data Pane. If any errors are found the Row number and the type of problem will be displayed and you will need to go back and edit your CSV file. If no errors are found then before you import you can view the contents if the CSV file one last time by clicking on the DataForm button in the Action Pane.

The final step is to click the Import button and your data will be pulled into the Rental Desk tables.